Before the Final Battle
by PadfootOldBuddyOldPal
Summary: Harry has to witness the destruction of the wizarding world apart from himself, knowing that he was the one that held the wand that caused it. Everybody is gone, and there is no hope - or is there? Rated for 'just in case, I don't want to get sued' reason
1. Turn of Events

Before the Final Battle  
  
Chapter 1 - Turn of Events  
  
As Harry Potter, the infamous Boy Who Lived, looked around the battlefield, all he could see was bodies. Some muggles (that Dumbledore had gone after, asking for help), some wizards, and even some magical creatures. Trolls seemed to be a popular choice of Voldemort's.  
  
A tear rolled down Harry's cheek, and he promised himself that it would be the only one. They were gone, and crying wouldn't bring them back. Nothing would. Or so he thought.  
  
He meandered sadly around the maze of corpses, recognising most of them.  
  
There was Mr Weasley. And there was Charlie. And Bill. And Percy. Malfoy (who was on the side of the Death Eaters, which came as no surprise to Harry). Harry stumbled across a large pile-up of bodies, and Harry clearly remembered the look on Voldemort's snake-like face as he had ploughed through Harry's friends. Sirius, Remus, Neville, Parvati, Dean, Justin. but no matter how hard Harry looked, he could see no sign of Hermione, Ron or Ginny. He desperately wanted to be able to see them, to let his mind to rest. For he knew that they were dead. He was the only person that could have survived, because he cast the spell. Had it not been for Dumbledore, Sirius, Remus and Harry's godmother, Arabella Figg's insistence, he knew that he couldn't have done it.  
  
And the worst part had been the surprised and shocked look on his friend's faces as he cast the spell. He felt particularly guilty about not being able to tell Ron, Hermione or Ginny, because the four had grown incredibly close during Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, and after a lot of agonising, Harry had finally plucked up enough courage to ask Ginny out. Ron had been beside himself with glee, and had taken great pleasure in teasing Harry and Ginny when Ginny had accepted him. Of course, that had pretty much cleared up when he and Hermione had finally got together at the end of their fifth year. The small fraction of the summer afterwards, before the battle started, Harry and Ginny had taken great pleasure in getting revenge.  
  
A sad smile flitted across Harry's face as he remembered his two best friends, and his would-have-been-if-Voldemort-hadn't-screwed-up-his-life- and-started-the-final-battle wife. Ginny had been insistent that they get married before Voldemort could stop them. And they had had everyone's support, even though they both knew that they were much too young. In a way, Harry reflected, it was a good thing that they didn't get married. He knew that he would have hated to end up like some couples that got married, and split up before they were twenty. Even though he knew that that would never happen to him and Ginny. They were soul-mates, and nothing could rip them apart.  
  
'Ah, but that isn't right, is it?' A nasty little voice inside his head reminded him. 'You have just killed Ginny, and you are the only remaining wizard in the world! And it was of your own free will!'  
  
Harry didn't even bother to argue. He knew that it was right, however much he hated the idea. And he now had to live with that for the rest of his life.  
  
Harry nearly jumped out of his skin at the sign of movement. He was sure he saw someone, or something, move. 'Please not Voldemort,' Harry begged in his mind, as if he could be heard. 'Anyone but Voldemort!'  
  
"Harry," the voice whispered hoarsely. "H-he-help," there was a coughing noise, and Harry knew that whoever it was, was having trouble speaking. And Harry thought that he knew who it was, but it wouldn't be hard for a dark wizard to manipulate his voice to sound like Ginny's.  
  
Cautiously, Harry crept over to where the voice was coming from, his wand trained on the spot where he had seen the movement before. As he got closer, he saw a flash of red, and before he could think twice about it, he ran over to Ginny and wrapped his hands around her waist, supporting her body.  
  
"Well, I sure hope that's you, Ginny," he said. "Because I've made a right fool of myself if it's some other poor red-headed girl." He clung tighter to her, as if worried that she might disappear if he let go. "How did you survive? Is it really you? Are you hurt? Can I do anything? Are you in pain?"  
  
A small chuckle escaped Ginny, but as soon as it left her lips she groaned. "Don't. ribs.broken."  
  
"Bad idea to make you laugh, then, huh?" Harry asked Ginny, trying to remember the right spell to fix broken bones.  
  
Ginny chuckled slightly, then hit Harry. "Stop it!" But once she started, she couldn't seem to stop. Harry had to bite his lip to stop himself from laughing, as Ginny switched between laughing and groaning in pain. He didn't want to make it worse for her.  
  
"OK, Ginny? Just move your arm and I'll cast the spell."  
  
Obediently, Ginny moved her arms that were clutched over her chest.  
  
"Emendus!" Harry muttered, and Ginny instantly relaxed.  
  
"Thank you," she gasped.  
  
"How did you survive, Ginny? I know your tired, but I have to know. If you survived, then other people may have, too! But that could include Death Eaters-"  
  
Ginny cut Harry up.  
  
"I should certainly hope not!" she said indignantly. "I survived because of a charm Dumbledore cast over us. It's the brother spell of the one your mother used on you, Harry, and it basically means that you could face me and cry the killing curse, but it would not kill me. Hurt me, maybe. Kill me, no. And vice versa, of course."  
  
"Useful in a tiff, then," Harry joked. "But what about Ron and Hermione? I mean, they must have died, but do you know how? I just want to say goodbye."  
  
To Harry's surprise, Ginny grinned very mischievously. "Well. there's something I haven't got around to telling you yet."  
  
"Ginny!" a familiar voice accused. "How could you not tell Harry yet! And all that rubbish about a charm!"  
  
Ginny looked affronted. "That was true! Of course, Dumbledore didn't know if we could trust the prophecy yet, and I wasn't sure until you came. You could have come straight here, instead of hanging around with my brother for the past ten minutes! I was worried - you weren't moving so I couldn't se you!"  
  
"Well that's the general idea," Ron mumbled, blushing slightly.  
  
"Hermione! Ron! How did- what prophecy?" he asked suddenly, remembering that he had no clue about any kind of prophecy.  
  
"Well," Ginny began, launching into an explanation of the past few weeks. "When Dumbledore was looking up your curse, Harry-"  
  
"You knew?" Harry asked, surprised.  
  
"Of course I knew. You really are a rubbish liar. Research, indeed. But anyway, Dumbledore knew about the prophesy that got Voldemort to power, and a big part of it was the only chance of his downfall, which spoke of a second prophesy. But no one has ever managed to find it.  
  
"This was expected, of course, because the first prophecy states that the second 'shall not be uncovered until the Great One has been born into this world'. On the night you were born, Harry, some muggle archaeologist claimed to have found great prophecy. Voldemort, who had known about the first one (obviously) went to find out if it was the second prophecy: The Prophecy of Kings.  
  
"It appears that it was the right one, for Voldemort went after you, Harry. That is why he attacked your family. that night." Ginny reached out her hand to Harry's, seeing the look of guilt on his face. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't ask for that prophecy, so don't blame yourself. Didn't you ever wonder why you were just able to do a spell and kill Voldemort? Didn't you ever question why no one ever just did that before?"  
  
"I thought that it was something about my scar, and my connection to Voldemort, or something." Harry trailed off, feeling slightly stupid.  
  
"There is no connection, Harry," Hermione said quietly. "That is what was told to everyone, so Voldemort wouldn't find out about the prophecy. Because nobody knew that he already knew. They all thought that he attacked your parents because they were both powerful Aurors. Even Dumbledore.  
  
"So, a few weeks ago, Dumbledore received an owl. The ministry had found a muggle body, that had been tortured again and again with the Cruciatus curse. He could barely speak, even when Madam Pomfrey had seen to him. But they managed to make out the gist of what he was saying under Veritaserum. He told them that Voldemort had found him, and had the prophesy, but Dumbledore asked if he remembered it. He did, so Dumbledore got him to write it down.  
  
"I don't know exactly what it said, but Dumbledore got the gist of it. It took him the next few weeks to work out the effects of the curse, because it was very cryptic, and required a lot of other old tomes and prophecies to find it's exact meaning, and once he found it, he told you.  
  
"Of course, there is a benefit. The second prophecy was made so that the whole of the wizarding world had to be wiped out, but with three exceptions.  
  
"These three would live on, and they would help the Great One to accomplish his mission, which Dumbledore explained to us. Because he knew that it was us. Ginny is your soul-mate, and she is here to help you pull through times of difficulty, or something. Ron is 'the brave of heart, and soul-mate of the last' who is me."  
  
"And you're the 'intellectual griffin, and great knowledge she does possess'," Ron recited, grinning slightly. "I wonder how Dumbledore knew it was you?" Hermione elbowed Ron hard in the ribs.  
  
"So. what is this thing I have to do?" Harry asked, trying to get his brain to soak up all this new information.  
  
"Well," Hermione said, looking very excited. "We don't know. The prophecy said that we would have to work it out ourselves, with no help. But," she said, seeing Harry's hopeless look. "I think I have an idea. There was a part that Dumbledore couldn't understand, about restoration. I think that it may mean that we could find a spell to restore the life to some people!" The excitement in Hermione's voice had risen to a huge climax.  
  
"No spell can reawaken the dead, Hermione," Ron said. "Not even part of a prophecy.  
  
"I know," Hermione informed them impatiently, looking at them as if they were stupid. "But can you remember that essay we did on the Pilgrims? The way that they used time travel to ensure that injuries were healed in time, so as not to cause permanent damage?" At everyone's bewildered look she rolled hr eyes.  
  
"We could use it to bring some people back!" Ginny said, catching on. Then her face fell. "But how do we do that? I mean, we'd have to duplicate them or something!"  
  
"I know," Hermione said again. "But I thought of that a few weeks back, so I went to the library to see if it was possible, and asked Professor Binns a lot of questions about the Pilgrims. And now I know. We can each bring one person back each. That is them maximum a person is able to do, because when you bring someone forward in time, if it isn't their original time, then you have to bind yourself to them for the journey, and power binds are only one-on-one. If we could come back forward to before they died, then you wouldn't have to bind them, but because we are going to be from this time, then this is the only place we can come back."  
  
"So how are we going to go back on time?" Harry asked. "I can only think of time-turners, but they only go back in hours. It would take far too long to turn back in hours! And who can we bring back? And how do we get back? Do you know that?"  
  
Hermione paused for a moment, trying to confirm in her mind all of the questions Harry had asked.  
  
"Well, as for how we get back in time, I do have a time-turner, but it has been charmed to go back in years. That is the biggest leap it can do."  
  
"So we'll land just before a new school year. That's perfect, really, isn't it?"  
  
"It is, Ron," Hermione replied, looking peeved at the interruption. "But let me finish. "As for how we get back forward, I don't know, but we can research that when we get back. If we have to, we can wait until time come back to here, but that would be dangerous. For one, we wouldn't age. People would notice a group of fifth years not growing up-"  
  
"Sixth years," Ginny corrected her. "It's easier if I join you. I'm sure I'll manage."  
  
"Sixth years, then," Hermione said, looking even more irritated. Harry swore that she muttered something under her breath, sounding very much like 'Weasleys!'. "And also it's too dangerous. The closer we get to our time, the more likely that we'll get recognised. And maps like the marauders map will tell everyone who we are, and might prevent some people from being called what they are. Not me, really, because I wont come into contact with my parents, but you three might. And we'll have to be really careful not to change anything. We might get caught in a time bubble."  
  
"A what? What in Merlin's name is a time bubble?" Ron asked, looking bewildered.  
  
"It's where we change time, so that, for example, Harry was never born, so then he'd never go back, so he would be born, so he would go back in time. It means that you live forever, doing the same things again and again and again, and only one person has ever escaped one, and that was Merlin. He had to change the past again, but normally if you do that you will cease to exists, because that person will probably have some sort of connection with an ancestor of yours, which will prevent you from being born. Very nasty, really."  
  
Harry raised an eyebrow. He thought that that was a bit of an understatement if there ever was one.  
  
"But about who we will bring back, we will have to decide that now. Because we can only bring back four.  
  
"I think Dumbledore is a must, especially if we can go back a bit, and he'll be a bit younger. But as for the others, I'm not sure. Unless we want to go back to different times, then we'll have to pick people that were alive when Dumbledore was. And I don't think we should split up, in case one of us gets into a bubble, and we all get stuck."  
  
"So who else?" Ginny asked. "They will have to be important. like Dumbledore, and smart. Can anyone think of anyone?"  
  
"Well." Hermione looked slightly nervous, as if she was endangering herself by suggesting this. "Snape?"  
  
Ron looked aghast, Ginny looked sceptical, and Harry just winced.  
  
"I wouldn't have suggested that if I were you, Hermione," Harry pointed out, Ginny nodding at his side. "I can see why he would be brought back if there wasn't such a small limit, but I don't think that he's in the top four of priority. d'you think?"  
  
Hermione sighed, and nodded.  
  
"You're probably right, I just tried to think of someone who was brave and clever, and deserved to continue their life. It isn't as if he had the best time of things, and if he came back now, he wouldn't have to spy, and ruin his life."  
  
"Well, we'll keep him in mind," Ginny said, but Harry exchanged looks with her and Ron and a silent agreement was made between them. There were too many people that deserved to live again, they needed a better reason than that. "I think I know who we should bring back with us. The other three. Although, I have four, really, so we will have to leave one of them."  
  
Hermione looked interested, and knew that her suspicions had been confirmed when Ginny gave Harry a side-glance.  
  
"What about the Potters?" Ginny asked. "And Sirius or Remus. It's a hard decision, but I think I know who we should ask."  
  
Ron grinned.  
  
"That's a brilliant idea! And they were really good Aurors, so when war breaks out again they'll be able to help! Or at least train us to!" Hermione rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same.  
  
"I agree, that really is a good idea. And we could go back to their time at school, and it would be perfect! We could pretend to be transfer students, and we'd have access to Hogwarts library, and that really is the best library in any school. Or any other place, really." It was now Ron's turn to roll his eyes at Hermione, but like her, he was smiling.  
  
"What do you think, Harry?" Ginny asked. "Would that be OK with you?"  
  
Harry bit his lip.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't want to have you waste this chance. I mean, I'd really love that, but if it's not the right thing to do, then we wont." Harry remembered something Dumbledore had said at the end of his fourth year, about making the choice between what is right, and what is easy. It did nothing to eliminate his doubts.  
  
"Harry, if we didn't think it was right, we wouldn't have suggested it," Hermione soothed. "It is the right thing to do, honestly."  
  
Harry smiled.  
  
"If you think so, Hermione, then it's probably right. If you all don't mind, then we'll do that."  
  
"But who else? Maybe we shouldn't bring back either Remus or Sirius. I mean, I'd love to, but I don't think they'd want to be here alone."  
  
"But James and Lily would be here. I'm sure that they'd both be so happy to see at least one of them, Ron." Ginny reasoned.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione jumped up. A hand flew to her forehead.  
  
"Of course!" she muttered. "Harry, I think we could bind both of your parents AND someone else! Because they are your parents, they wouldn't need the same kind of bond! And you can have as many different bonds as you want, but only one power bond, which is what you need to time travel! But with family, I think we could take them back!"  
  
"But then. Hermione, doesn't that me and Ron can bring our parents? Plus someone else? That would be brilliant!"  
  
Hermione did a little victory jig, earning a laugh from everyone.  
  
"But that means we have to bring someone else back. Snape?" she asked pleadingly. "I really think that he deserves a chance at a decent life, without repercussions of his parents decisions wrecking it. Please?"  
  
Harry and Ginny looked at each other. "OK," Ginny said, "I suppose you're right."  
  
"Of course I am!" Hermione said happily, doing another little jig, though slightly less enthusiastically when she saw Ron's face. "Ron."  
  
"I'm not thinking about Snape," he assured her quickly. "I'm just wondering how we're going to convince them that they should come with us. I mean, they haven't met any of us yet, so for all they know, we could be Death Eaters, or something, trying to hurt them. How are we going to prove to them? And when we bring their duplicates back, aren't they going to be younger than us? Or at least the same age. Wont that be a bit weird? Not so much for Harry, but what about us? We'll be dealing with our parents, about the same age we are now. That's going to be madness!"  
  
Hermione smiled broadly.  
  
"You didn't think that I'd forgotten that did you?" she said smugly, then looking slightly indignant when she saw their looks. "Well, I didn't. I also researched a way to bring them back at their age that they would be now. But you have to understand that they may not want to. When they get to this time, they will be the same age, but they will also have the memories that they have at this time. So it wont really affect us if they want to stay young. It's another chance at life, really. We have to give them that chance, Ron."  
  
"I suppose," Ron agreed. "I never really thought of it like that before. Well, what year are we going to? It has to be a year when Harry's parents and our parents were both at the school."  
  
Ginny's brow furrowed, and she seemed to be doing some quick calculations.  
  
"When Mum and Dad were in seventh year. Harry's parents were in sixth. And. Dumbledore had just been promoted to Headmaster, I'm sure of it now. Mum told me some stories about the marauders' pranks in her seventh year, and she said that 'those sixth year marauders gave the new headmaster a problem. It was Dumbledore, actually.' Which means that he was new then. That would make it easier, because we could see him about pretending to be transfer students. What d'you think, Hermione?"  
  
"Yes. I think that would work well," Hermione said, her expression very thoughtful. "But we are going to have to be careful about asking Snape, because he would have been asked to be a Death Eater - well, forced - around then. And we don't know if he became a spy straight away. I would guess so, from the way Dumbledore trusts him, but the fact that he is always trying to redeem himself makes me think that perhaps it took him a while to pluck up the courage. We'll have to be really friendly."  
  
Suddenly, Ron paled.  
  
"Oh no," he whispered. "Wormtail! We're going to have to pretend that he's on our side! And be nice to HIM!"  
  
Hermione bit her lip.  
  
"Well," she reasoned calmly. "At least we know that Harry's parents will come back to life when we get back. We wont have to deal with their deaths. It should be okay. but Harry, if Voldemort attacks anyone that shouldn't die, then it means that we have to protect them, but if he attacks people that should die, then we have to let them die, and save the others. But look like your saving them."  
  
"This is going to be horrible, isn't it," Harry said sadly.  
  
"I think so," Ginny agreed. "But just remember that anyone that dies is only escaping the horrible fate that awaits them later. The people that we are bringing back will be the only people that will survive. We can't help people in the long run, especially if we change the past, because then we'll all be stuck as well. We can do this."  
  
"Hermione," Harry asked. "How are we going to know who we have to save, and who not? I mean, for all we know now, these people didn't die because we saved them in the past. Future. Well, you know," Harry slumped in confusion. "I know what I mean."  
  
Ginny giggled and took his hand. "You're the only one," she laughed.  
  
"I have a list," Hermione told them. "Of all the people that died, and when. I copied it out of the obituary book. It has everyone that ever died in it. And we can highlight the ones that will affect us. Of course, it only lists wizards, but we wont be changing anything to do with muggles, really. There was a big attack on the wizarding world in. Hogsmeade, or so the addresses suggest. I think that we will have to be wary of that. It's exactly the time we need to arrive. Unless. what if our time travel causes an explosion?! No one will ever trust us, especially because we'll have to find a cover-up! What are we going to do?"  
  
If it's there now, Hermione, then we have control over it. Does it list how they died?" Harry questioned.  
  
"Oh! Yes it does. it was Death Eaters," Hermione finished flatly. " But it would say that if they thought that we were Death Eaters! Time travel shouldn't do that."  
  
"Then I'm sure that it'll be fine," Ginny reassured her. "We have to go now, Hermione. Come on, or we'll be here forever!"  
  
Harry and Ron nodded in agreement, and all four of them stood up. Hermione reached inside her robes and pulled out the time turner. She extended the chain on the hourglass with a flick of her wand, and draped it around her, Ron's, Harry's and Ginny's necks. Harry noticed that it was slightly larger than the last time he used it.  
  
"So what year are we going back to?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione counted on her fingers, then said:  
  
"1978"  
  
A/N: What do you think? I'm sure you can all guess what is happening. I hope you like it, and the next chapter will be up soon if you all respond well to this one. If you want me to continue, then please review. I wont bother if you don't.  
  
If you are confused about anything, or have a suggestion of how to improve the story, then leave it in a review! 


	2. Welcome to the Past

Before the Final Battle  
  
Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Past  
  
"1978"  
  
No sooner had she said it, she began to turn the hourglass over, again and again, until she'd done it about 20 times.  
  
As soon as she'd finished turning the time turner, Harry's world started to swirl, and his vision blurred. Then everything went black  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Harry!"  
  
Harry turned over, groaning at the bright flashes of light flying across, glowing through his eyelids.  
  
"Harry! Come on, hurry, we need to get out of here!"  
  
Suddenly, Harry recognized the voice as Ginny's. His eyes snapped open, and he glanced around at his settings. He saw that it was the village of Hogsmeade, but it looked slightly different... Then he remembered.  
  
"Harry! Hurry up, you've got to come! Quick! Hermione's hurt!"  
  
When Harry heard Ginny shout that, he jumped up and ran as fast as he could after being knocked out on the floor, over to where he saw Hermione sprawled out.  
  
With Ron and Ginny's help, Harry managed to carry Hermione up to the gates of Hogwarts. The bright flashes of the attack flew around them, but Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were being pretty much ignored. Ron took up the rear, sending the odd, disguised curse over his shoulder at the Death Eaters behind them.  
  
The group hurried up the Hogwarts drive, knowing that no Death Eaters would be able to follow them due to the castle's great protection wards. Not certain if they would be able to get through without setting the security off, Ron hurried them forward.  
  
They hurried up first to Dumbledore's office, knowing that he would be there, even if it wasn't the start of term yet. Once they got to the statue of the Gargoyle, however, they got stuck.  
  
"Erm..."  
  
"Sherbet Lemon! Cockroach Cluster! Fizzing Whizbees! Liquorice Wand! Sugar Quill!"  
  
At Harry's last guess, the gargoyle sprung to life and let the startled group through. Well, ¾ startled, for Hermione was still too out of it to count, really. But she would have been startled if she had been awake.  
  
"Sugar Quill?" Ginny asked. "I didn't think that teachers would approve of those!"  
  
"This is Dumbledore we're talking about," Harry reminded her. "He's not exactly your standard teacher, is he?"  
  
"S'pose," Ginny mumbled, as they all rose up the spiral staircase.  
  
When they got to the top, Harry knocked on the grand oak door that lead to Dumbledore's office.  
  
"Enter."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ginny bit her lip apprehensively, as she entered the Headmaster's office. She wasn't sure how this story would go down, especially seeing as there was a Death Eater attack going on outside. The it struck Ginny as curious that Dumbledore wasn't out there.  
  
Of course, this all fit together when she entered the office behind Harry, clinging onto his hand, feeling very nervous. She had put the voice difference to Dumbledore being younger here, but she now saw that it wasn't, in fact, Dumbledore at all. It was a complete stranger.  
  
Harry and Ginny exchanged looks.  
  
"Excuse me," Harry started. "Do you know where Professor Dumbledore is?"  
  
The man behind the desk smiled.  
  
"I do," he replied, a bemused smile playing across his face. "I would expect that he is in his office. You're a bit early, you see. He wont be in this office until the start of the new year." He suddenly spotted Hermione in Ron's arms. "Who is this? I don't recognize you... Are you new here? Is she? What is wrong with her?"  
  
Ron looked at the others, and they made a silent agreement to stay evasive.  
  
"Well, that's what we need to see Professor Dumbledore about," Ron replied, trying to keep his face trained to an unreadable look. "He knows what to do for her. It's...it's an allergy. Muggle thing," he added, seeing the old man's confused look. "So... so we'll go and look for him, then," Ron said, edging out of the office.  
  
"Yes, yes, certainly," the man said, smiling kindly.  
  
Ginny smiled back, and lead the others down the spiral staircase.  
  
"Well," said Ron. "I never thought that there would be another teacher as barmy as Dumbledore. Sugar Quills! That really is absurd for anyone other than Dumbledore."  
  
"I do thank you, Mr Weasley, for the recognition."  
  
Ron spun around, coming face to face with Albus Dumbledore himself. His mustache was quivering in silent laughter.  
  
"Um..." Ron began.  
  
"Oh, I do apologize," Dumbledore said, looking very surprised. "I could have sworn you were someone else, then. In fact, I still could." He peered at Ron through his half-moon spectacles.  
  
"Oh, no, Professor," a weak voice whispered hoarsely. Hermione was barely heard, for she had only just come around. "We... we are new students. We're transferring. We need to speak to you about it."  
  
Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes surveyed Hermione carefully.  
  
"Please come this way. I think we shall stop at the Hospital Wing, before proceeding any further. Perhaps you could explain there?"  
  
"No," Ginny answered quickly. "We might be overheard. If it is at all possible, we would be grateful if you would spare us a few minutes... I am sure that the Hospital Wing is jam-packed with injuries."  
  
"Not at all," Dumbledore replied. "To both things. Of course I will spare you some time, but the Hospital Wing is currently empty. Seeing as term hasn't started yet, no students were injured, and even if they had been, they would go to a proper hospital. The matron will not arrive for another week. So it is private enough, I believe."  
  
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. "We really are very grateful. This is very, very important."  
  
The Transfiguration teacher nodded, and opened the door to the Hospital Wing. They all entered.  
  
"So," Dumbledore began. "Please explain to me your situation. You are not from this time, are you?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Harry gaped. How on Earth did Dumbledore know that, without even asking for their names?  
  
"Are you from the past?"  
  
Hermione sat up in the bed that Ron had put her in.  
  
"No, Professor. Are you sure that this place is completely impossible to eavesdrop on?" she asked, a skeptical look o her face. "If this information got into the wrong hands, then it could be lethal..."  
  
Dumbledore cast a silencing charm over the ward, then turned back to Hermione.  
  
"Could you explain it to me?"  
  
"We can," Hermione replied. "We are not from the past, we are from the future. On a mission, as it were.  
  
"My name is Hermione Granger. You wont recognize that name, because I am muggle-born. These two are Ron and Ginny Weasley. I expect that that is why you were about to call Ron 'Arthur'. Ron is Arthur and Molly's son. And Ginny is Ron's younger sister."  
  
Dumbledore looked highly amused.  
  
"Well actually I was rather about to call Miss Weasley 'Miss Evans'."  
  
"Mum?" Harry asked. "I suppose Ginny does look a lot like her."  
  
"So, let me guess, you're a Potter?" Dumbledore asked Harry.  
  
Harry grinned.  
  
"And this," Hermione said. "Is Harry Potter, son of Lily and James Potter. But Professor, we have some bad news. Both died a few years later. In a few years. Well, you know what I mean..."  
  
"Indeed I do," Dumbledore smiled warmly. "Do continue."  
  
"No doubt you know about Voldemort," Hermione said, and Dumbledore's eyes flashed at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "Yes, seemingly so... Well, in the year 1998, Voldemort was destroyed. Will be... whatever. You get the gist. Well, it was all part of a prophesy-"  
  
At this, Dumbledore cut Hermione off.  
  
"The Prophecy of Kings... yes, I had an idea that that is what you came for. The Great One... would that be you Mr Potter?" At a nod from Harry, Dumbledore continued his predictions. "Miss Weasley, you are then the Seer. So that leaves the courageous Griffin as Mr Weasley, and Miss Granger as the Knowledge." Dumbledore's mustache twitched. "I had surmised as much, as it happens. So, your here to bring back your chosen ones? That would be Lily, James, Arthur, Molly... and your chosen four?"  
  
"That's right, Professor," Hermione nodded. "And our chosen four are Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Severus Snape and...er...you," she finished, looking at the soon-to-be Headmaster.  
  
"Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "Ah, of course," Dumbledore said, nodding in understanding. "You have seen the outcome of the war... He has been acting very strangely lately.."  
  
"He hasn't turned spy yet?" Harry asked.  
  
"Spy? Apparently not, Mr Potter," Dumbledore replied thoughtfully. "That all makes sense now... a good choice of people... but I must ask if you think that I am the right decision. I am rather getting on now, an I doubt that I shall be of any use..."  
  
"That's nonsense!" Ginny blurted out. "You are the only reason that we were alive to come and get you!"  
  
Dumbledore chuckled. "You flatter me, Miss Weasley."  
  
"Hold on," Hermione said suddenly. "Ginny isn't a Seer, is she?"  
  
Dumbledore looked sharply at Ginny.  
  
"That was the only perception I could get of the prophecy. Unless I am mistaken... There is the possibility that you have not shown the skills yet..."  
  
Ginny blushed, and looked nervously over at Harry.  
  
"No, you're right Professor. I am a Seer, but I only discovered that just before we left. I saw a vision of Harry coming over to where I was, so I used the energy I had to call him over. But that's the only time. I only recognised it as a vision when you said that earlier. But will I be able to get visions here?"  
  
Then a look of understanding passed over Dumbledore's face.  
  
"Miss Granger," he began. "Do you remember the line of the prophecy that talks about not being able to accept help?" When Hermione nodded, Dumbledore continued. "Well, I'm sure that you know that the translation is slightly patchy. The other meaning of 'Aligna' is 'gift'."  
  
Hermione's eyes widened.  
  
"So we can accept help, it's just that we are without Ginny's gift! Ginny wont get visions! Of course! But that's brilliant, if we can accept help! Plus Ginny, you wont have to go through any more visions! This is great news!"  
  
Ginny soon caught on, and (to Dumbledore's great amusement) joined Hermione in a victory jig. When they remembered that Dumbledore was still there, both girls sat down very quickly. Dumbledore chuckled at their antics, then turned to the group.  
  
"Well, I will assign you to the Defense Against the Dark Arts position-"  
  
"Hold on," Ron interrupted. "Aren't we going to be students?"  
  
"I think that that would attract too many questions. It would be too easy for one of you to slip up with the wrong previous school. Plus, you are all more than qualified for the position." Dumbledore smiled at their shocked faces. "Is that all right with you all?"  
  
"Yes, that's fine, Professor," Hermione breathed.  
  
All four of them were too surprised to say anything more, so Dumbledore removed the silencing charm, and left the Hospital Wing.  
  
"Well," Ron said. "This will be interesting, if not absolutely hilarious." He burst into fits of hysterical laughter. "Imagine all of the points we can take from Slytherin now! Excellent! Welcome to the past!"  
  
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A/N: Well, what do you think? Good? Or not? Please review, and tell me! I'll love you forever! Please?  
  
Fair enough if that doesn't encourage you (if not put you off all together), but please review, because I don't know if I'm doing it right or wrong! I need help! (And please, no jokes on that. I am well aware that that is a very appropriate pun. So don't remind me.)  
  
Review, review, review!  
  
Thank you to Whiteriver, I'm afraid that I already had this chapter written, so I couldn't emphasize your point about sadness. I know what you mean, but if you think about it, they had already known what would happen for a few weeks now. And they would probably get more upset when they were alone, but if you want, I'll make a thing of it. I have an idea that I could add in if you want. Review with your opinion! 


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